How to read the Air Quality Index (AQI) scale, and how it can help you stay safe from wildfire smoke

Smoke from wildfires in Canada shrouded the Manhattan skyline on July 15, 2026. Bloomberg/Getty Images Wildfires are raging across Canada, and the smoke is being pushed southward. The air quality began decreasing on Wednesday and continued into Thursday. Here's a guide to understanding the Air Quality Index (AQI), a metric used to assess air quality.  As more than 800 wildfires burn across Canada, including dozens of out-of-control fires in western Ontario, the resulting smoke has worsened…